The Purge: Why The First Movie Is The Franchise’s Best (Despite Bad Reviews)

Despite the bad reviews it garnered upon its release and ever since, the first movie in The Purge franchise is the best of them all. The film, written and directed by James DeMonaco, was distributed by Universal Pictures and produced by Blumhouse Productions and Platinum Dunes, and was released in 2013. Though the movie was panned by critics, it did gross $89 million against a $3 million budget, largely thanks to its promotional tactics and all-star cast.

The dystopian action thriller movie stars Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey, Adelaide Kane, and Max Burkholder as James, Mary, Zoey, and Charlie Sandin, respectively. The Sandins are a wealthy family living in a gated community in Los Angeles in the year 2022. The movie takes place on the annual “Purge” event, a night during which all crime is temporarily legal — even homicide. The Sandins, who thought they were safe behind their expensive security system, must survive being terrorized by a group of masked, armed people.

The Purge ultimately received poor reviews from critics and viewers alike. Upon its release, it was dubbed as being full of clichés and having a predictable storyline. Critic Gary Wolcott of the Tri-City Herald, for one,harshly described the film as “almost the dumbest movie in history,” suggesting people “purge” it from their weekend plans. Nevertheless, the movie spawned four successful sequels as well as a television series, which was canceled after The Purge season 2. Despite a general consensus that the sequels are better movies, which is not often true at all for horror movies, it can certainly be attested that the original remains the standout installment — here’s why.

All of The Purge sequels performed better at the box office than the original one, and received better ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, the first movie remains, arguably, the best one. The main reason for this is that the concept – a family surviving a terrifying night during which all crime is legal – was fresh and thrilling in 2013. At the time of its release, no other movie had considered this type of horror story. Though the sequels aren’t bad, they are less exciting than the original since the main plot lines have been hashed out before. Plus, the sequels focus more on how the outside world deals with the Purge, while the original uniquely homes in on a single family, resulting in a more claustrophobic and even hopeless feel.

Another key aspect that makes The Purge better than its sequels — the casting. A-listers Ethan Hawke – who has been nominated for numerous Academy Awards and one Tony Award throughout his career – and Lena Headey, who received multiple Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations during her time on HBO’s Game of Thrones, offer extremely nuanced and believable performances as James and Mary Sandin. Without their solid acting and star power, the movie would not have been as enticing.

The actors who play the Sandin children are also part of the backbone of The Purge. Max Burkholder, known for playing Max Braverman – a child with Asperger syndrome – on the NBC show Parenthood, portrays Charlie Sandin perfectly. Viewers understand and even empathize with his instinct to disable the house security system in order to help an injured man. Adelaide Kane, who has seen success on shows like ABC’s Once Upon A Time, plays Zoey Sandin as a daughter and sister that most every teenage girl could relate to. A fifth installment in The Purge franchise – titled The Forever Purge – is scheduled to be released in the summer of 2021. Because it’s reportedly the final film in the franchise, perhaps it will pay homage to its roots with nods to the original movie, and in retrospect, audiences will realize how good the original truly is.

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